Director of IT, Coney Island Prep

Brooklyn, New York
Executive Excellence
What is the Role?

Coney Island Prep is looking for an amazing, dedicated Director of Information Technology (IT) to join us! The mission of the school’s Operations Team is to make teaching better and easier by ensuring our schools are warm, welcoming, safe, clean, efficient, and deliberate. The Director of IT (DIT) position is integral to the success of this mission, as they develop the approach to technology for all of Coney Island Prep’s four school locations and network office.

The Director of IT will design, implement, and manage clear systems, so that Coney Island Prep’s network connectivity is seamless and that staff and students have the hardware, software and education technology they need to teach, learn, and work effectively. The school’s mission drives every decision that is made, and the school’s operations are designed to support an academic program of uncompromising excellence. The Director of IT will collaborate heavily with Directors of Operations, the Director of Facilities, and Principals in order to ensure technology plans meet the vision and needs of the leadership, and will coordinate closely with Operations Teams. The Director of IT is will manage external relationships with external IT vendors, outsourcing partners, and offer technical guidance on vendor agreements to ensure all agreements are held in service of strong technology outcomes. The Director of Facilities will be hired by and will report to the Chief Operating Officer.

What You’ll Be Asked To Do

Lead the effort to assess our organization’s information technology needs and coordinate the action steps necessary to ensure the needs are met

Manage the configuration of network technology in a manner that ensures the reliability of our essential systems as well as the security of organizational data/information

Manage and guide the training and oversight of key operations team members as needed to optimize organizational preparedness and response efficacy for day-to-day support/troubleshooting needs

Manage outside vendor selection and relationships to ensure accountability to results

Develop an IT strategy and provide recommendations regarding IT tools to ensure CIP remains up to date with current networking best practices

Lead procurement process to ensure that CIP has appropriate inventory of all needed student and staff devices and equipment

Ensure clear and timely communication of important IT-related updates/information to schools as well as network staff

Coordinate any actions and long-term planning required to make sure that the network is maximizing its assets/capabilities and minimizing disruptions in service

Offer technology training and guidance to staff, students, and families. Provide alternate IT solutions where possible to increase overall organizational efficiency

Maintain standard operating procedures and best practices, including providing written protocols and guidance to staff and to end-users to support a fully-remote tech environment

Raise significant IT-related strategy and challenges to senior management for visibility as well as to ensure that appropriate stakeholders are involved in major decisions about technology that impact the full network

Lead AV/IT efforts for current and future capital improvement projects

Requirements

What You’ll Need

Passion for education and a dedication to Coney Island Prep’s mission

Steadfast belief that all scholars can achieve at the highest academic levels and deserve an opportunity to succeed in the college of their choice

Professional demeanor and excellent organizational skills

Self-reflective and open to frequent feedback, with the ambition and desire to grow and develop

An entrepreneurial spirit, embracing the opportunity for creativity and hard work inherent in a growing organization

A positive, solutions-oriented attitude and drive for excellence

Willingness to be a team player

Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems or related field, or commensurate IT training and/or work experience

5-8 years relevant work experience

Extensive project management experience

Experience in supporting both in-person and fully-remote tech environments

Experience in building and working with cross-functional teams

Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical staff

Demonstrated experience with vendor management

Strong understanding of project management methodologies

Understanding of databases and reporting solutions

Demonstrated experience managing budgets, ideally specific experience managing USAC/e-rate funding processes

Experience with Google Admin platform, and document sharing/file permissions structures

Experience using Clever to integrate student-facing programs (we use Clever to manage our all of our student accounts and would like this person to know this program)

Familiarity with Zoom user management and settings

Experience implementing systems for device management, in particular Apple/MacBook and Chromebooks

Working knowledge of network infrastructure

Working knowledge of active directory

Familiarity with JAMF, PowerSchool, and SchoolRunner a plus

Demonstrated knowledge and experience in providing telecom, desktop, hardware and cyber security support to a growing organization.

Who are you?

You’re all in. You believe there is no more urgent task than to educate scholars from low-income backgrounds, so you are committed to the core. Our work is high-energy, fast-paced, tiring and sometimes all-consuming, and you wouldn’t have it any other way. You own your work and when you reach your goals, you reach higher. You work incredibly hard, and are inspired by the urgency of what we do. You aren’t afraid to ask for help, feedback, and support; you’re equally eager to give all of the above. You’re driven by personal accountability, data, and results, and you’re not above doing whatever’s asked. You make friends at work, smile through hectic days, and add a little levity along the way. You have the opportunity to work with scholars, and there’s always someone who’s got your back from coaching you through a challenging day to helping you grow professionally. And while the environment can be fast paced and ever-changing, you’ll have all of the technology and caffeine you need to get the job done

Benefits

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Coney Island Prep is committed to building a team that collectively reflects the various backgrounds, experiences, and identities of our scholars. We recognize and respond to different points of access, so that everyone maximizes their highest potential. We also recognize that because of institutionalized racism and systemic oppression, historically marginalized groups are at a disadvantage when it comes to most application and hiring processes. We want to ensure that all candidates, regardless of their identity, are able to demonstrate their qualifications and are not limited by a lack of opportunity or access. We are also committed to creating a space where everyone feels like all aspects of their identity are acknowledged, respected, and welcomed. We are intentional about creating an environment where people feel comfortable being their authentic selves at work by constantly examining our organization culture and challenging our traditions.

Our Response and Responsibilities During the Pandemic

Recognizing how this pandemic disproportionally affects communities of color, we have taken steps to meet our mission in a number of ways. In addition to sharing our , we have allocated resources for familial support, distributed hundreds of devices to sustain techquity amongst scholars, and provided over 100,000 meals throughout the South Brooklyn neighborhood to date.

As we have navigated our return to school and broader COVID-19 recovery efforts, it is clearer than ever before that having all staff members fully vaccinated is an exceedingly important aspect of protecting the health and safety of our school community. We know that educators city-wide will continue to lead the movement for safe and healthy school communities, and we are excited to be a part of that! To adhere to New York City’s mandate, all Coney Island Prep staff members will be required to be fully vaccinated. If you are not yet vaccinated and looking to do so, we will be more than happy to provide resources to assist in that process.

Benefits and Compensation

Employees at Coney Island Prep are provided with a generous salary. Our salaries are highly competitive, set through a lens of equity, and based on an individual’s skills and experiences relevant to the role. The starting salary for this role is $90,000-$110,000, based on experience.

As a regular full time employee of Coney Island Prep, you will be eligible for benefits that include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match and Paid Family Leave.

Staff are provided with a MacBook Air and access to all the necessary technology and resources needed to succeed in their role.

This is an immediate start position.